Horror Library Volume 4

Horror Library- Volume 4
Call for Submissions

Cutting Block Press is pleased to announce an open submissions period for the 4th Volume of its Horror Anthology Series, +Horror Library+, to be published in trade paperback during 2009.

We're looking for the highest quality examples of all forms of Dark Fiction, running the gamut from traditional horror, supernatural, speculative, psychological thriller, dark satire, including every point between and especially beyond. No Fantasy or Sci-fi unless the horror elements are dominant. Read +Horror Library+ Volumes 1-3 to see what's already pleased us. Special consideration will be given those pieces that we find profoundly disturbing, though blood and violence on their own won't cut it. While we will consider tales of vampires, ghosts and zombies, we tend to roll our eyes at ordinary ones. They're just too plentiful. Your best bet is to surprise us with something that is different, while well conceived and tightly executed.

Guidelines:
Stories will range between 1,000 and 6,000 words, though we'll look at longer works of exceptional merit. In that case, query before submission. Buying 1st worldwide anthology rights. No reprints. Paying 1.5 cents per word, plus one contributors copy. For established authors, rates may be negotiable. Response time: three months or sooner. Deadline: We will accept submissions until filled.

SPECIAL OFFER TO AUTHORS WHO WISH TO SUBMIT
We’ve decided to make a VERY special offer to any author who wishes to purchase a copy of +Horror Library+ Vol 1 for the purpose of understanding what we are looking for and submitting something along the lines of what we want. We will not select our stories until near the end of 2009, so there is time.

The price - $8, shipping included in the continental US. Shipping is $5 to Canada and $8 anywhere else in the world. That’s $9 off the cover price - we’ve never offered it this low. We hope you submit to us, but that is not a necessary part of the deal. We figure the best way to find the stories we want is to get as many interested authors as we could to own a copy of it, before we begin selections.

HOW TO ORDER
Send Paypal payment to pinballdizzy@juno.com and accompany payment with this code in the subject line:
HL Vol 1 - SSO or (HL Vol 1 - Submissions Special Offer)

Manuscript format: -12 point courier font - standard margins - left side of header: name, contact info - right side of header: word count - top of first page: title, author Variances from traditional manuscript format: - single space, NO INDENTS - ONE EXTRA space between paragraphs - use bold, italics and underline as they are to appear in story Subject box: Short Story submission - title of story Attach story in MS Word Document or RTF (only) Please paste your cover letter in the body of the e-mail Submissions e-mailed to horrorlibrarysubs@yahoo.com

Jabberwocky

Co-edited by Erzebet YellowBoy & Sean Wallace

Published by Prime Books.

We are seeking short stories and poems for the fourth issue of Jabberwocky, scheduled for publication in July 2009.

The elements and bedrock of Jabberwocky can be largely described as the -ical approach: lyrical, whimsical, mythical, in all its forms, particularly short fiction, poetry, and illustrative. There are no boundaries, no restrictions, no genres. If you love the art of the written word, its structure, its flow, its language, I suspect you'll love Jabberwocky.

Original fiction only. No reprints. Multiple submissions accepted.

PAYMENT:
$.01 per word for fiction
$5.00 per poem
Payable on acceptance.

WORD LIMIT: 4000 words.

RIGHTS: First world English rights, non-exclusive world anthology rights, and non-exclusive audio anthology rights. Download the author-anthologist contract here.

READING PERIOD: 1 October, 2008 - 1 February, 2009
Our response time is 2 weeks.

Email your story in rich-text format (RTF) to us at jabberwocky.magazine@gmail.com. Include the title of the story in the subject of the email and a brief bio in the body of the email.

Please send queries to the same address. Thank you!

Opium5's Memoir Contest - Win $1,000

It's now time to officially reignite Opium5's 500-Word Memoir
Contest--this time judged by author and Oscar-nominee Tom Perrotta.

The rules? Easy. Write a memoir that is 500 words or less. The winning
story, along with a handful of finalists, will appear in Opium8 which
will debut in April 2009.

Enter, and tell the world so they can enter, too!

The Deadline: February 22, 2009
The Reward: $1,000, and publication in Opium8.
The Cost: $10 for a single entry; $17.50 for two
How to Submit: Go to Opium's new submissions system and enter! (If you
already have an account, create a new one here)
The Odds: We can't know this until all entries are in, but know that
we do publish many stories from our contests (7 appear in Opium7, 10
in Opium6, along with over 30 on OpiumMagazine. com ).

The Judge: Tom Perrotta has written six novels, including Election,
the New York Times best seller The Abstinence Teacher and Little
Children. Election became an acclaimed movie directed by Alexander
Payne, and Perrotta received an Oscar nomination for the screenplay of
Little Children

Greeting Card Writings and Anthology

Blue Mountain Arts is interested in reviewing writings that would be appropriate for publication on our greeting cards. We are looking for highly original submissions on friendship, family, special occasions, and positive living. We pay $300 per poem for all rights to publish it on a greeting card and $50 if your poem is used only in an anthology. Please note that we do not accept rhyming poetry.

To request a copy of our writer's guidelines, please send a blank email to writings@sps.com with "Send Me Guidelines" in the subject line.

To submit your work, send to editorial@sps.com (no attachments, please) or write to us at:

Blue Mountain Arts, Inc.
Editorial Department
Post Office Box 1007
Boulder, CO 80306

College Campus Chronicles

We are looking for true stories and poems about your experiences in college, whether you are in college now, or a recent graduate. Stories about everything from leaving home, to classes, to roommates, to personal growth, to funny moments, to travel abroad...anything you have done in college that you would like to share with other college students. The deadline for story submissions is December 31, 2008

Guidelines:

Recipe for A Winning Chicken Soup for the Soul Story

A Chicken Soup for the Soul story is an inspirational, true story about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It is a story that opens the heart and rekindles the spirit. It is a simple, inter-denominational, living art piece that touches the soul of the readers and helps them discover basic principles they can use in their own lives. They are personal and often filled with emotion and drama. They are filled with vivid images created by using the five senses. In some stories, the readers feel that they are actually in the scene with the people.

Chicken Soup for the Soul stories have a beginning, middle and an ending that often closes with a punch, creating emotion rather than simply talking about it. Chicken Soup for the Soul stories have heart, but also something extra…an element that makes us all feel more hopeful, more connected, more thankful, more passionate and better about life in general. A story that causes tears, laughter, goosebumps or any combination of these. A good story covers the range of human emotions.

The most powerful stories are about people extending themselves, or performing an act of love, service or courage for another person.

Guidelines for a Chicken Soup for the Soul Story

1. Tell an exciting, sad or funny story about something that has happened to you or someone you know. Make sure that you introduce the character(s).

2. Tell your story in a way that will make the reader cry, laugh or get goose bumps (the good kind!) Don’t leave anything out — how did you feel?

3. The story should start with action; it should include a problem, issue or situation. It should include dialogue and the character should express their feelings though the conflict or situation. It should end in a result, such as a lesson learned, a positive change or pay-off.

4. Above all, let it come from your HEART! Your story is important!

What a Chicken Soup for the Soul story IS NOT:

1. A sermon, an essay or eulogy.

2. A term paper, thesis, letter or journal entry.

3. About politics or controversial issues.

4. A “My Grandma Just Died, and Let Me Tell You What A Wonderful Person She Was” or “Let Me Tell You About My Disease or Operation” or “I Gave a Bum Some Money, Aren’t I Incredible?” or “Why My Mother Is the Best Mother” or a personal testimony that may mean nothing to the reader.

Story Specifications

1. It is preferred that all submissions are sent via our website by clicking here. In the future all submission will need to be entered in this way but if, for now, you need to send your submission by postal mail or fax please use the address and fax number provided below. Please know your stories and poems have the best chance of being used if you submit them through our website.

2. Stories and poems should be non-fiction, ranging in length between 300-1200 words.

3. No anonymous or author unknown submissions please.

4. Send only one copy of each submission.

5. We do not return submissions, so please don’t send the original.

6. Please submit only stories or poems that have not been previously published. The only exception to this is if your work has only been published in a small local publication with limited circulation.

If the story or poem you wrote is published by us, you will be paid $200 upon publication of the book plus you will receive ten free copies of the book your story or poem appears in.

The only way to receive an acknowledgment of your submission at this time is by submitting through our website, by clicking here . By submitting through the website, you will be taken to an acknowledgment screen on our website directly after hitting “send”. This screen will inform you that the story has been accepted into our submission process. We strongly encourage you to submit stories online as it is both the fastest and easiest way to process and review your submission. If you do not have Internet access at home, you can always visit a local library.

It can take up to three or four years for Chicken Soup for the Soul books to develop. Please be patient, as this is an important, yet time-consuming process. If your story is chosen for a future edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul or any other projects, you will be notified and your permission to print it will be requested. Please know that we never publish anything without written permission from the author.

Feel free to submit more than one story or poem. Please do not send us any book manuscripts, unless through a literary agent, as these will be automatically discarded

You can submit your story 3 different ways:

Internet: www.chickensoup.com

Please know your stories and poems have the best chance of being used if you submit them through our web site.

Mail: Chicken Soup for the Soul
Attn: Story Submissions
PO Box 700
Cos Cob, CT 06807-0700

Fax: 203-861-7194

Tales of Biblical Terror

Call for Submissions - She Nailed the Stake Through his Head - Tales of Biblical Terror
Call for Submissions

Seeking short stories for the Dybbuk Press anthology She Nailed the Stake Through His Head: Tales of Biblical Terror (working title).

What I'm looking for: Short stories primarily, ideally between 1000 - 12000 words. All stories must be based in some way on Biblical stories. Actually have a familiarity with the Bible. I may consider poems if they are particularly good but I hate 99% of all poems I read. This is primarily a horror anthology so the creepier the better. In many of these stories, you really don't have to work too hard to make them horrific.

Shouldn't be said, but please don't send me stories that are so ungrammatical and clumsy in their execution that they hurt to read. Style counts. Style counts a lot. I am a great fan of authors with great style. I'll read Tanith Lee's 5th grade essay on why she wants a pony before I even think of picking up another Dan Brown book for any other purpose beyond hurling it at the wall.

Suggested:
Retellings of Biblical Stories from the perspective of another character.
Kiastic Storytelling
Deconstructionist Commentary akin to Rashi
Biblical stories retold in different literary styles (high adventure, Victorian, Romance, Mystery, etc.)
Modern stories told in the Biblical style (Best use Robert Alter's Art of Biblical Poetry and Art of Biblical Narrative if you want a crash course)
Parodies of Prophets
"Queen Esther vs. The Brain Eating Penis Monster from Outer Space" (note that just sticking this title on a lame story is not going to endear you to me. Write a story that would justify this kind of title and I'm interested)
Biblical Movie Parodies (kind of a tough one considering that this genre gave us Lot freeing the slaves of Sodom, Edward G. Robinson playing Aaron in full gangster mode, splatterpunk Jesus and Richard Gere disco dancing in a diaper)

Basically if you're sticking with Biblical tales in Biblical times you have about 1500 years to work with. Empires rose and fell in this time.

Lists of Some books that may Help:
Torah Study 101
Ibn Ezra
25 Jewish Books
Bible Study Sampler
Outrageous Tales from the Old Testament

What I'm NOT looking for:

Normally this is the place where I say that I don't want any vampires, werewolves or ghosts but if you can stick a vampire into a King David story or put zombies in Ancient Assyria then I actually want to see it.

One Caveat to the last note: I read The Last Days of Jesus the Vampire. I thought it was a very clever idea that was poorly executed. Regardless, I'm not going to be terribly enthused with "Jesus was a vampire" stories.

Primarily, no preachiness. If your story is nothing more than an excuse to get on a pulpit, I'm not interested. That cuts all ways. The Left Behind series would have been fun in a goofy crazy way if it didn't keep stopping to tell the reader that JESUS IS LORD (then again, it's audience wouldn't have made it a bestseller.) But that also goes for atheist stories.

And please, no stories about how all the goddess worshippers were beautiful earth mothers until the mean old monotheists came along and killed everyone. I read enough of that Starhawk crap during my collegiate hippie phase.

I should also note that I've been publishing a lot of books geared toward adolescent males recently - splatterpunk, tough guy fiction, etc. - and I'm getting a little sick of the lack of decent female characters. So stories with strong women characters (there are plenty in the Bible - Sarah, Jezebel, Yael, Devorah, Rivkah, Esther, etc.) will make me happy.

I'm also 99% certain that I won't like your Adam & Eve story. Don't know if anyone writes these things anymore. I suspect that they've been ridiculed into the historical dust bin, but just in case, please don't send yours my way.

Format: Attach as either a .doc or an .rtf. DO NOT send .docx attachments. All .docx attachments will be deleted unread.

Pay: $50 advance against equal share of royalties to be paid out no later than publicatoin.

Reading Period: December 1 - December 31, 2008. All stories submitted before December 1 will be deleted unread! And yes, I do mean BEFORE December 1. I might extend the deadline for after December 31 if I don't find enough stories to fill an anthology (I'm shooting for between 8 and 12. I can go as low as 7.) I'm putting out the call for stories now because I want interested parties to write their stories and revise them before submitting them. I don't want trunk stories with cover letters trying to explain why your vampire is a Christ figure.

Reprints: Yes, I will take reprints, but let me know if it's a reprint or not when you submit.

Send to: tim_lieder (AT) yahoo - .rtf or .doc format only. If you want to put it in the body of the text, well go ahead.

CATASTROPHIA

Edited by Allen Ashley

Guidelines

Catastrophia will be a collection of stories loosely themed around the theme of catastrophes, disasters and post-apocalyptic fiction. I will be looking for original, unpublished stories which deal in a modern manner with these classic SF- and Horror-based tropes.

Rights and other technical details

I’m looking only for original material - no reprints. I will be buying First British and First North American Rights for your story with a one-year moratorium subsequent to publication. I can offer 3p/6c a word up to a maximum payment of £100 / $200 per story. The book will be published by PS Publishing and the current expected pub date is summer 2010.

Submissions

The submission period will open on 1^st August 2008 and will last until 31^st May 2009 or whenever the book is full. Unless specified otherwise, all submissions should be sent as disposable hard copies to:

Allen Ashley
Editor: Catastrophia
110d Marlborough Road
Bounds Green
London, N22 8NN
England

Please include an email address for reply or a stamped and addressed envelope. Response time will be three months or less.

Stories should ideally be in the range of 2000 to 6000 words although both longer and shorter tales will be considered.

Catastrophe? What catastrophe?

In short, some event that rapidly changes the world social order, threatens the survival of humankind or the Earth, reduces people to a state of mere hand-to-mouth existence, puts the clock of progress back a couple of thousand years almost overnight, takes our attention off the exploits of celebrities, footballers and politicians and instead focuses it on keeping ourselves and our loved ones alive until sundown . . . and so on. As I said in my own story ‘The Overwhelm’ (in which the world was engulfed by fog): “Truly it didn’t take much for the veneer of civilisation to be stripped away.”

I will be taking a broad view of what constitutes a catastrophe/disaster / apocalypse but authors should note that I am not seeking gratuitous rape and violence fantasies.

A brief history of catastrophes

These tales have a long and prominent history within the genre and are among the first titles that spring to mind when listing SF classics. Discounting Biblical, mythical and similar precedents, this sub-genre probably started with:

The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells (invading Martians destroy Britain) and M. P. Shiel’s The Purple Cloud (Polar toxins kill everybody bar the protagonist).

Brian Aldiss famously labelled many of these stories as “cosy catastrophes” but that certainly hasn’t got in the way of our enjoyment. Your editor grew up on these stories and with Catastrophia expects to reinvigorate the genre for the twenty-first century. Indeed, recent films such as The Day After Tomorrow (environmental disaster), Deep Impact (comet strikes Earth) and the re-make of The War of the Worlds suggests the desire is there to be faced with the apocalyptic all over again.

Further reading

• Brian Aldiss - Greybeard (no children are born);
• Brian Aldiss - Barefoot in the Head (LSD contamination causes social breakdown);
• J. G. Ballard - The Drowned World, The Drought, The Crystal World, The Wind From Nowhere - early quartet of psychological /environmental disaster novels from the master;
• Edmund Cooper - All Fool’s Day and Richard Matheson - I Am Legend (benchmark post-apocalyptic last man on Earth tales);
• Edmund Cooper - Kronk and Charles Platt - The Gas (rampant venereal disease / sex plagues);
• John Christopher - The World in Winter (new ice age);
• John Christopher - Death of Grass (aka No Blade of Grass) (All grass / wheat / rice crops fail);
• Keith Roberts - The Furies (giant wasps);
• John Wyndham - The Day of the Triffids (blindness and killer plants);
• John Wyndham - The Kraken Wakes (marauding sea monsters);
• Roger Zelazny - Damnation Alley (Mad Max started here).

For a really modern catastrophe story in the short form, I recommend that you track down ‘Approaching Zero’ by John Lucas (contemporary lifestyles as catastrophe!), most recently available in my anthology from Elastic Press, The Elastic Book Of Numbers (2005).

Catastrophes for the new millennium

With the current prominence of ‘Green’ issues, you may well decide to try your hand at environmental disaster, biological agents running amuck, responses to the future fuel and water shortages or similar themes . . .

I’ve always quite liked the idea of the animal and plant kingdoms getting their own back on Humankind (See The Furies, Day of the Triffids, the film Them, etc) - so I would be quite receptive to an idea along those lines. No zombies or vampires, though, which have been done to death.

Similarly, I’m open to something based on our dependence on technology in the so-called Information Age. But no cyberspeak gobbledegook, please, and no rehash of Transformers.

I’m sure there’s plenty of material to extrapolate from. Better still, come up with a fresh catastrophe idea, something that has not been explored before but is still close enough to the real world to convince as an extrapolation or a possibility.

Good luck!

Things Aren’t What They Seem:

Things Aren’t What They Seem
by From the Asylum Books and Press
edited by Katherine Sanger

In the grand tradition of SF, we are looking for stories about aliens among us. They can be trying to fit in, take over, or steal away the promotion that you deserve. Does your neighbor drink an awful lot of milk? That guy at work not seem right? Who are they? What are they doing here?

We’re looking for flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and short fiction (1,001 to 5,000 words) that tell the story of aliens in our world. (Please note: No “jar of Tang” endings. No “dream” endings. No elaborate set-ups on aliens planets to make it look like Earth in order to…you get the idea.) Word count is firm. Any pieces above or below the word count will not be read. Please submit only one story. Please do not submit poetry -- this is for fiction only.

Your story can fit anywhere in the speculative rainbow -- SF, fantasy, horror, or just plain strange! Humor is a plus, but is not strictly necessary. (Yes, you can have aliens in your medieval of fantasy-based world…the aliens can be good or evil..or just trying to survive on $6.50 an hour.)

Payment is $15 for flash fiction and $30 for short fiction. All authors accepted will also get one copy of the anthology.

UPDATE - 10/31/08

Things Aren’t What They Seem:
Acceptances and rejections of all submissions have gone out, both mail and email. If you have not heard from us, please send us an email at ksanger@fromtheasylum.com as some of the emails did bounce and I’m sure if it’s my system that is at fault.
We are re-opening the submission period, to last from October 31 until December 31. While we received a number of excellent stories, we have not yet reached our desired length as the anthology will not be heavy enough to assist in beating our alien neighbors.
Guidelines remain the same. We are still looking for both flash fiction (under 1,000 words) and longer works (up to 5,000 words).
There are two important things I would like to emphasize, however.

• Aliens *must be* the main thrust. No tacked on aliens that don’t figure into the plot.
• Humor is preferred over horror (although humorous horror often works for us!).

To enter:

Please send your submission to:

From the Asylum Books and Press

“Things Aren’t What They Seem”

PO Box 1519

Dickinson, TX 77539

Include a cover letter with your name, your pseudonym (if applicable), your email address, your phone number, your mailing address, the name of the piece, the word count of the piece, and a short biography. Include a SASE if you would like to be notified of rejection.

Or email:

fta@fromtheasylum.com

Please cut and paste your file (text, not html) into the email. We do not accept attachments.

Please be sure to use the subject line “Things Aren’t What They Seem Submission” or your piece may be put into the general submissions.

In your email, include your name, your pseudonym (if applicable), your email address, your phone number, your mailing address, the name of the piece, the word count of the piece, and a short biography.

Closing Date: We will be keeping the submissions for the anthology open until May 15. Responses to the first set of submissions will be going out by the end of April.

Publication Date: If closed by April 15, we will be publishing in November.

At this time, we hope to respond to entries within 4 weeks of receipt.

Clarkesworld Magazine

Clarkesworld Magazine is an online venue and chapbook series for short works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Each month, Clarkesworld will publish two pieces of fiction, one solicited from an author with one or more books published, and one chosen from the rolling open call for submissions below.

There have been some changes in our submissions process, so please read our guidelines carefully before submitting something a story to us.

Clarkesworld is also accepting queries for non-fiction and art.

Fiction Guidelines

Clarkesworld Magazine pays 10¢ a word for works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. We have a firm word limit of 4000 words. Please do not query about word lengths. We will not consider stories longer than 4000 words or shorter than 1000 words. We claim first world electronic rights, first print rights for the production of signed/numbered limited edition chapbooks (author must be willing to sign 100+ chapbooks), and non-exclusive anthology rights.

Stories must be:

1. Well-written. Language is important. If your story is only a story because you didn't have the funds to produce and direct a short film or a sufficiently large live audience for the telling of a fanciful anecdote, then I don't want to see it. There is no distinction between "style" and "substance" or "story" and "writing" — stories are made out of words. If your story isn't worth reading as a collection of words, sentences, and paragraphs, it isn't worth experiencing in story form.
2. Convenient for on-screen reading. Very long paragraphs or typographical trickery may work against you.

Science fiction need not be "hard" SF, but rigor is appreciated. Fantasy can be folkloric, medieval, contemporary, surreal, etc. Horror can be supernatural or psychological, so long as it is frightening. There are no barriers as to levels of profanity, gore, or sexuality allowed, but high amounts of profanity, gore, and sexuality are generally used poorly. Be sure to use them well if you do use them.

Though no particular setting, theme, or plot is anathema to us, the following are likely hard sells:

• stories in which a milquetoast civilian government is depicted as the sole obstacle to either catching some depraved criminal or to an uncomplicated military victory
• stories in which the words "thou" or "thine" appear
• talking cats
• talking swords
• stories where the climax is dependent on the spilling of intestines
• stories where FTL travel is as easy as is it on television shows or movies
• time travel too
• stories that depend on some vestigial belief in Judeo-Christian mythology in order to be frightening (i.e., Cain and Abel are vampires, the End Times are a' comin', Communion wine turns to Christ's literal blood and it's HIV positive, Satan's gonna getcha, etc.)
• stories about rapist-murderer-cannibals
• stories about young kids playing in some field and discovering ANYTHING. (a body, an alien craft, Excalibur, ANYTHING).
• stories about the stuff we all read in Scientific American three months ago
• stories where the Republicans, or Democrats, or Libertarians, or the Spartacist League, etc. take over the world and either save or ruin it
• your AD&D game
• "funny" stories that depend on, or even include, puns
• sexy vampires, wanton werewolves, or lusty pirates
• stories where the protagonist is either widely despised or widely admired simply because he or she is just so smart and/or strange
• stories that take place within an artsy-fartsy bohemia as written by an author who has clearly never experienced one
• your trunk stories

Fiction Submissions Process Guidelines

NEW: Clarkesworld has adopted an online submissions system to help streamline our process and improve communication with authors. As a result, we will no longer accept email submissions. Go here to submit your stories.

Our online submissions form is designed to be simple. All fields (author, email, title, cover letter, and story) are mandatory. Your cover letter should contain your publishing history and any other relevant information (e.g, if you send us a lusty pirate story and happen to BE a lusty pirate, mention that). Stories must be in standard manuscript format and can be submitted in either .RTF or .DOC format. No simultaneous submissions. If you have questions, concerns or technical issues, please contact Neil Clarke (clarkesfiction@gmail.com).

After completing the online submission form, you will receive an email confirmation with a tracking number. This number can be used at any time to check the status of your submission. If you do not receive this email, please contact Neil.

Our goal is to respond to submissions within two weeks. We do ask that you:

• Please do not send queries until after a three-week period has passed. Please check our forum or Neil's blog or our forum for any important announcements first.
• Do not send revisions to a submission at any time.
• Writers may not submit another story for a period of seven days after receiving a rejection.
• Please do not re-submit stories that have been rejected. Do not query for permission.
• Writers whose work is accepted may not submit again until six months after their story is published.
• Please do not argue with rejection slips.

If you are uncertain about anything above, we recommend following the most conservative interpretation.

Holiday Writing Contest

CALLING FOR FICTION & NONFICTION STORIES FOR HOLIDAY WRITING CONTEST

» SUBMIT STORIES ABOUT THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS OR OTHER DENOMINATIONAL HOLIDAYS
» E-MAIL UP TO THREE SUBMISSIONS WITH COVER LETTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $500.00
» FREE TO REGISTER & SUBMIT ENTRIES FOR VALID CONSIDERATION BY THE JUDGES
» ACCEPTING FICTION, NONFICTION & OTHER NON-TRADITIONAL PRINT MEDIUMS OF STORYTELLING

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

HOW TO ENTER THE HOLIDAY STORY WRITING CONTEST

STEP 1: REGISTRATION
All participants should register at: http://www.wordsofbelief.com/BookWork/UserRegistration.aspx

Becoming a member and registering your personal information with Words of Belief will ensure our team knows how to contact you should you win prizes or become a finalist, all of whom will appear in the first WOB Anthology Series.

STEP 2: SUBMISSION
E-mail your short story entries and cover letter to contests@wordsofbelief.com, both as separate Microsoft Word® file attachments. A maximum of three short stories entries are permitted per entrant. If more than three stories are submitted, all entries by said writer will be disqualified. Please follow these additional instructions below:

» Clearly list your name as a header on each page of your submission.

» Type "Holiday Story Writing Contest" in the subject line of your e-mail.

» Attach a brief cover letter (no longer than a page) as separate Microsoft Word® file attachments a short cover letter that details your previous publishing experience, relisting your contact information as well.

» Send only one e-mail to enter your submission(s). Should our judges receive more than one e-mail from the same individual or same e-mail address, Words of Belief will only accept the first e-mail with submissions, so be certain the one you initially submit is your final draft. All subsequent e-mails from an individual with revisions or additional submissions will be disqualified.

» Include the follow within your e-mail:

Full name:
Pen name (if applicable):
Mailing address*:
Home phone:
E-mail address:
Alternative e-mail (if applicable):
Title(s) of submission:

Note: Any entries that do not include all the necessary information will automatically be disqualified and purges from WOB records, which means all correspondence regarding contest updates and announcements will cease.

*When supplying your mailing address, list the address exactly as it should appear when written on an envelope. PO Boxes are not accepted, neither are they counted as valid mailing addresses.

CONTEST DETAILS: HOLIDAY STORY WRITING CONTEST

Submission Requirements:
Participants can only enter a maximum of three short stories. All entries must be double-spaced, written in Times New Roman font, with a maximum length of 5,000 words.

Number of Submissions:
Participants who enter more than one story should attach each entry of fiction and/or nonfiction as a separate individual Microsoft Word® file. Participants entering more than three stories for the contest will automatically be disqualified, and their contact information purged from our records.

Document Requirements:
All entries must be double-spaced. Each page must be numbered, and the title must be clearly defined within each submission.

Font Requirements:
All entries must be written in Times New Roman font.

Length (minimum and maximum word count):
Each eligible entry must be at least 500 words, but no longer than 5,000 words.

Disclaimer:
Any entry that does not meet the aforementioned contest guidelines will not be considered by our judges, and therefore, will not be eligible for winning prizes. By submitting stories and entering this contest, participants accept and agree to the Terms & Conditions of the contest. All work submitted must be original material written by the contestant. Entrants are entirely responsible for all content submitted. Words of Belief reserves the right to declare any entries ineligible if our team determines said submissions are not in accordance with the terms stated in Words of Belief’s Terms of Use.

CONTEST START: 12:01 AM EST on October 6, 2008

DEADLINE: 11:59 PM EST on November 21, 2008

» Each writer must register online with Words of Belief, and submit electronically as a Microsoft Word document.

» There are no entry fees, no subsidy payments and no purchases required to enter and/or win the contest.

» Participants are not required to have any previous publishing to enter this contest.

» Entries are judged on the basis of originality, creativity, characterization, artistic quality and length.

» All decisions by the judges are final, and our team reserves the right to disqualify an entry at any time.

» Each writer retains the copyright to his or her work.

» Fifteen of the finalists stories will be included in an anthology published through Words of Belief. All non-finalist participants will be eligible to receive a free electronic copy of the finished collection. The finalists with work included in the anthology will receive a printed and bound copy of the finished book at no cost. The contest's winners will be featured on Words of Belief as well.

» Words of Belief is under no obligation to publish every story that is entered.

» The contestant is under no obligation to purchase a copy of the publication in which his or her story may appear.

» Due to formatting restrictions within the finished collection, Words of Belief retains the right to reformat the story for size and placement. Though our design team will make every effort to preserve section breaks and forms, we cannot guarantee retention of format from the original file.

NOTIFICATION:
All prize winners will be notified via e-mail and posted on Words of Belief’s Contest Announcement site. Ensuring e-mail addresses are correct and current is the sole responsibility of the entrant. Participants can only enter a maximum of three short stories. All entries must be double-spaced, written in Times New Roman, between the minimum length of 500 words and the maximum length of 5,000 words.

NOTE: While Words of Belief respects the right of individuals to freely express themselves in literature, we do not accept prose that is explicitly offensive, or conflicts with our mission statement. Therefore, we ask that writers who submit their work to our contests be considerate of this policy.

Read about our finalist judges for more information>>

HOLIDAY STORY WRITING CONTEST PRIZES

Holiday Grand Prize Selection (1)
» $500.00 check
» One printed and bound copy of the published Anthology

Holiday Editor’s Selection (1)
» $250.00 check
» One printed and bound copy of the published Anthology

Holiday Anthology Finalists (13)
» One printed and bound copy of the published Anthology

All non-finalist participants receive:
» One electronic copy (e-book) of the published Anthology

Tough Economic Times Anthology

Chicken Soup (now with Simon & Schuster) is moving ahead with new anthology ideas. They pay $200.

One book they've just announced:

Tough Economic Times

We are all going through difficult times right now, some with more dire consequences than others. We would like to know what changes you are making in your lives that reflect the times. Are you downsizing, making do with less, discovering new joy in a simpler life? These stories will give you,
our readers, inspiration and insight into how others are coping.

The deadline date for story submissions is March 31, 2009.

Guidelines for a Chicken Soup for the Soul Story

1. Tell an exciting, sad or funny story about something that has happened to you or someone you know. Make sure that you introduce the character(s).

2. Tell your story in a way that will make the reader cry, laugh or get goose bumps (the good kind!) Don’t leave anything out — how did you feel?

3. The story should start with action; it should include a problem, issue or situation. It should include dialogue and the character should express their feelings though the conflict or situation. It should end in a result, such as a lesson learned, a positive change or pay-off.

4. Above all, let it come from your HEART! Your story is important!

What a Chicken Soup for the Soul story IS NOT:

1. A sermon, an essay or eulogy.

2. A term paper, thesis, letter or journal entry.

3. About politics or controversial issues.

4. A “My Grandma Just Died, and Let Me Tell You What A Wonderful Person She Was” or “Let Me Tell You About My Disease or Operation” or “I Gave a Bum Some Money, Aren’t I Incredible?” or “Why My Mother Is the Best Mother” or a personal testimony that may mean nothing to the reader.

Story Specifications

1. It is preferred that all submissions are sent via our website by clicking here. If you don’t have access to the Internet, please submit your stories preferably typed on plain white 8 1/2” x 11” paper, in 12-point Times New Roman font.

2. Please be sure to type the author’s name and contact information on the first page of each and every story.

3. Stories should be non-fiction, ranging in length between 300-1200 words.

4. Mail your submissions in a flat, 9x12 envelope if possible.

5. No anonymous or author unknown submissions please.

6. Send only one copy of each submission.

7. We do not return submissions, so please don’t send the original.

If the story you wrote is published, you will be paid upon publication of the story. Payment amount will be determined at that time.

The only way to receive an acknowledgment of your submission at this time is by submitting through our website, by clicking here . By submitting through the website, you will be taken to an acknowledgment screen on our website directly after hitting “send”. This screen will inform you that the story has been accepted into our submission process. We strongly encourage you to submit stories online as it is both the fastest and easiest way to process and review your submission. If you do not have Internet access at home, you can always visit a local library.

It can take up to three or four years for Chicken Soup for the Soul books to develop. Please be patient, as this is an important, yet time-consuming process. If your story is chosen for a future edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul or any other projects, you will be notified and your permission to print it will be requested.

Feel free to submit more than one story or poem. Please do not send us any book manuscripts, unless through a literary agent, as these will be automatically discarded.

You can submit your story 3 different ways:

Internet: www.chickensoup.com

Please know your stories and poems have the best chance of being used if you submit them through our web site.

Mail: Chicken Soup for the Soul
Attn: Story Submissions
PO Box 700
Cos Cob, CT 06807-0700

Fax: 203-861-7194

Shine Anthology

Submission Guidelines

SHINE is an anthology of optimistic near-future SF, edited by Jetse de Vries, published by Solaris Books, and is planned for an early 2010 release.

Keywords:

Convincing and optimistic: Imagine that we are the biggest skeptics on the planet, then show us how things can change for the better, and persuade us.

Near-future: from now until 50 years later.

SF: we’re not going to define it. Write what you think is SF, and convince us with the story.

The Gritty:

Length: up to 10k words (not hard, but anything longer than 10k should be mind-blowingly superb).

Payment: 5 cents a word, on publication (and probably a pro rata share of the anthologist’s earnings: I’m working on that)

Genres: science fiction only. I greatly prefer original stories, but I will — like Baen’s Universe — look at stories that have been published in markets that are not professional by SFWA standards, or markets with a relatively small reach. I also consider Interzone, Black Static, Postscripts, Futurismic, Apex Digest and Flurb to be either professional markets or markets with a wide reach (or both), so don’t want to see stories published by them, either.

Rights: First World English Rights, non-exclusive world anthology rights, non-exclusive audio anthology rights, and further subsidiary rights specified in my boilerplate [author-anthologist contract], which I’ll put up after I return from World Fantasy. NOTE: obviously, for eventual reprints the first world rights will become anthology rights, first if possible.

Reading Period: May and June 2009 (DO NOT SUBMIT BEFORE MAY 2009)

Response Time: Most rejections will be sent out quickly, while I will hold over stories that I like until July 31, when a final decision is made. No multiple submissions, please: only one story per author, and only submit a second one if I expressly ask for it. Simultaneous submissions: at your own discretion, but keep in mind that I will not fight over a story, that is, if it’s with another publisher I will drop it like a ton of bricks.

Submissions Instructions: send your story, preferably single-spaced and in rich text format (RTF) to [email to be added later]. Put Submission: “Title of your story” in the email’s subject line.

* * *

Donna Sundblad resides in Georgia. Her published works include: Pumping Your Muse, a creative writing book, and two YA fantasy novels: Windwalker and Beyond the Fifth Gate and her stories also appear in a variety of anthologies. Visit her website www.theinkslinger.net for more information and if you want to buy her books in ebook form they are available at Fictionwise.

Time in a Bottle Anthology

Call for Submissions for Time in a Bottle anthology:

Time must figure prominently in each story. For example, the story could be about time travel. Or it might concern a wizard who uses spells that affect time in some way. It might be about people or things that have been displaced to a time other than their own. The story could even be about someone who’s time is running out, perhaps from a deadly disease or poison.

Stories that explore parallel events in time, the nature of time or in some other way are centered around time will all fit in this anthology.

Along with TIME as the central focus of the story, it must also fit in one of the following genres:

Hard Science Fiction

Soft Science Fiction

Fantasy

Space Western

The above genres can be mixed with each other if desired but stories that fall outside of these will not be considered. For example, a story that is Space Western/Fantasy would be perfectly fine but a story that was Horror would not. The only exception would be minor elements. A fantasy could have some horror elements as long as they weren’t so heavy as to turn the story into a Horror or Horror/Fantasy mix.

If you have questions whether your story idea qualifies, feel free to email and ask.

Stories may be set in any time period from prehistory to the far future.

Word count must be between 3000 and 6500. Stories that are too short or too long will be sent back to the author to revise and resubmit.

Submissions open on Nov. 1, 2008 and close on May 1, 2009. Submissions received before Nov. 1, or after May 1, will not be considered.

Send submissions as an attached .doc or .rtf file to:

timeantho@gmail.com

Submissions in other formats, or pasted into the body of the email, will be returned to the author with a request to resubmit in the correct format.

Those authors whose work is accepted will be offered the standard CWP anthology contract. Those terms are:

10 dollar flat fee to acquire the right to publish, and 1 free copy of the book. 5 year, non-exclusive contract for print format, paperback.

In addition, all contributors will have the right to buy as many copies as they would like for the base cost of printing and shipping, then keep the profit from any copies they personally sell.

Silly Western Antho ~ Call for Submissions

Cyberaliens Press
An Open Call for Submissions
~*~

Howdy Pardners!

Mosey on up ta the bar and let me tell ya about the darnedest, silliest, most outrageous Western anthology this side of the Mississip'.

Y'all heard right! CyberAliens Press'll be spittin' out another one o' them themed anthos on May 1, 2009.

We'll be featuring hilarious stories of the Wild West, some sappy Prairie Romance, and even a little bit o' SteamPunk - as long as it's knock-us-on-our-butt funny! We're also lookin' fer cowboy poetry and limericks, art and comics, and anything else that's sure-as-shootin' silly.

So saddle yer ponies, get them doggies ta market then set yerself down and write us the silliest bunch a words what never come outta that pencil a yers.

In plain language:
We are looking for short stories from 500 to 3500 words in length, as well as poems, jokes, puns, limericks, artwork, and general silliness. All submissions must express one of the following themes:
+ American Wild West
+ Steampunk
+ Prairie Romance
or some mixture of the above.

Submissions open November 1, 2008 an' close on February 28, 2009. Acceptances and declines will be ongoing through the submission period. No late submissions will be accepted. Put "SUBMISSION: [TITLE]" in the subject line, and address all correspondence to The Editors (there's two of us) and email them to: sillywestern @ gmail.com - ¿Comprende? Now saddle up and write.